Play Pitfall : The Lost Expedition Online

Pitfall: The Lost Expedition came out on Game Boy Advance in 2004, published by Activision. It was part of that wave of early 2000s platformers that tried to bring a console feel to a handheld, with bigger levels and more mechanics than you might expect from a cartridge.

You control Pitfall Harry, an adventurer exploring jungles, temples, and caves to rescue a lost expedition team. The game mixes side scrolling platforming with sections that switch to an overhead view, and you spend a lot of time swinging on vines, avoiding traps, and fighting animals with a simple melee attack. You also collect gems to unlock new areas and occasionally take control of a raft for some obstacle heavy river sequences. The pacing is uneven, with some frustrating difficulty spikes, but the constant shift in perspective and activity keeps things from getting stale. It feels like a scrappy, ambitious game that doesn't always nail its ideas but never lets you get too comfortable.